Butterflies of the
Amazon and Andes
Great Orange tip
Anteos menippe
H�BNER, 1818
Family - PIERIDAE
subfamily - COLIADINAE
Tribe - unassigned
Anteos
menippe, male,
Rio Madre de Dios, Peru
� Adrian Hoskins
Introduction
There are 3 members of the genus
Anteos, all confined to the neotropics.
The upperside of the male of this large species is normally only
seen when the butterfly is in flight, and is primrose yellow with
the apical area pale orange. The female has 2 forms, one like the
male and the other white, with blackish discal markings and forewing
borders.
Anteos
menippe
is a common species in lowland areas. It is found west of the Andes
in Colombia, and east of the Andes in Venezuela, Brazil, Ecuador and
Peru. It also occurs in Panama.
Habitats
The butterflies breed mainly in open transitional habitats along
riverbanks, and are most commonly seen when migrating along river
courses.
Lifecycle
The eggs are pale and skittle-shaped. They are laid singly on the
leaves or flower buds of Cassia plants,
although several eggs may be laid on a single plant during the
course of a day by various females.
The larva
occurs in 2 colour forms, green or yellow depending on whether it
feeds on the leaves or flowers of the plant. The pupa is green with
a white lateral line. It is strongly bowed and has a dorsal keel.
Anteos
menippe, male
with Protesilaus and
Protographium Swordtails
� Adrian Hoskins
Adult behaviour
The
butterflies are frequently seen migrating along the banks of rivers in
Amazonia, e.g. in Peru in August 2007, during a 6 hour journey by
longboat along the Rio Madre de Dios, I watched these butterflies
regularly passing the boat at a rate of approximately 40 per hour, all
heading upstream.
Patches
of mineral-rich damp sand along river beaches frequently attract
swarms of Pieridae, and often one or two Anteos
can be found amidst the masses of Itaballia,
Phoebis, Ganyra and
Eurema.
Only
males imbibe moisture from sandbanks. Females are only seen when
nectaring at flowers, or when flying from plant to plant, testing the
foliage with olfactory sensors on their feet, as they try to locate
suitable Cassia plants on which to
oviposit.
Both
sexes have a cryptic leaf-like underside, complete with raised "leaf
veins" which enables them to blend perfectly amongst foliage. Although
I have not found adults at roost, it is highly likely that they roost
hanging from the foliage of trees, where their cryptic colouration
would help them avoid being detected by avian predators.
Anteos
menippe, males with
Itaballia demophile and
Ganyra phaloe
� Adrian Hoskins
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